In Darkness a Light Must Shine
by Alatariel Narmolanya
Summary: A short, bittersweet story about the death of the wellloved Ranger and King of Gondor. Oneshot.


**In Darkness a Light Must Shine**

_"Seems like just yesterday_

You were a part of me

I used to stand so tall

I used to be so strong

Your arms around me tight

Everything it felt so right

Unbreakable like nothing could go wrong"

-From Kelly Clarkson's "Behind These Hazel Eyes"

**I.**  


It was a bright and fair day in the realm of Gondor. However, outside the Healer's chambers, it was not so. Four Elves and a Dwarf stood outside, waiting grimly to hear news about their King, best friend, husband, fellow companion, or brother. Or perhaps all five. It did not matter. Aragorn was dying.

The King of Gondor, once Ranger, Elf-raised, and one of the Fellowship of the Third Age, was much loved by his people and friends. He had been brave. He had been kind. He was great in battle. He was handsome. He was wise, for he was elf-learned. He was the true lineage of Isildur. He had dared to face difficulties, and won over most. Except this. This. Death. For even the bravest, nor the wisest, nor the kindest could not avoid death, unless he had the gift of immortality.

Elladan, being the oldest of the five, dared to venture in. Some tense moments passed until he came out again, pale. "They say..." His usually strong voice broke. "They say he is dying." Elrohir, his twin, looked down, his eyes damp. Legolas, Arwen, and Gimli were crying silently. The five were the remaining people who had known him the most, had loved him, had went with him through thick and thin.

The truth had not hit them until then. They had fools' hope. That he might last longer. That he might be cured with a miraculous event. But it was true. It was true.

Aragorn was dying.

_"Now I can't breathe_

Now I can't sleep

I'm barely hanging on"

**II.**  


Arwen looked into her husband's deep gray eyes. They were the same as all those years ago: mischieveous, wise, and smiling. "Estel?" she whispered, unable to stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks.

"Arwen... I'm so sorry. ...And... thank you."

"What for?"

"For giving up your immortality." Aragorn pulled up the Evenstar from beneath his tunic, from his breast where he had kept it with him for a long time, since the Fellowship left Rivendell. "I am sorry that we mortals must end everything in death.." He smiled, and shook his head. "Arwen.. Remember this. Even when everything is dark -" it was getting hard for him to breathe - "there always must be a light. In death there is life."

Arwen nodded. She could not find anything to say.

"Arwen. My time has come."

Arwen hand in Aragorn's was trembling. "You know," she whispered. "I loved you ever since I saw you."

"It was so with me," Aragorn smiled. "I wonder who was first?"

Arwen laughed, despite the sorrow. "I would have to say it was you; I did not see you until you called out. Very unfair."

"You're the Elf." Aragorn grinned, looking very much like the past Estel. He coughed a little. "Arwen... I love you." He bent over and kissed her hand, and even as he did so, the light dimished from his gray eyes.

Arwen sat there, crying. She admitted that she had cried many times throughout her long time, but never had she felt so much sorrow as this.

_"Here I am_

Once again

I'm torn into pieces

Can't deny it

Can't pretend

Just thought you were the one

Broken up deep inside

But you won't get to see the tears I cry

Behind these hazel eyes"

**III.**  


"Naneth?" Eldarion inquired. He was now a man - and he looked very much like his father when he had been that age, except for his eyes. It was a bright, intense green. "...Is this the last time?"

Arwen nodded. "Don't cry," she hugged her son. "Rule Gondor well. And don't forget me, or your father." Eldarion nodded as well, and his eyes appeared to be damp.

Arwen hugged her daughters, who cried silently, and to Legolas and Gimli, and to her brothers.

It was time to leave.

_"I told you everything_

Opened up and let you in

You made me feel alright for once in my life

Now all that's left of me

Is what I pretend to be

So together but so broken up inside"

**IIII.**  


Arwen walked among the bare branches of Lothlorien, feeling the rain on her shoulders, on her dark gray cape.

She had not regretted her choice. Never. Not now. Even when it was tainted in sorrow.

She came to the spot when they had first met. Her dark hair blew behind her in the wind, and she saw a single white flower. The same Estel had given to her.

She lay down in the dead leaves, and looked up at the bright, silver stars.

She knew she was dying. She had been dying ever since she had heard the terrible news.

Hours passed. The moon slowly moved, and Arwen began to lose conciousness.

Yet she still waited.

Arwen waited as the small white flower slowly uncurled to the starlight, to the moon, to the world.

She smiled.

"See you soon," she whispered.

The white flower had opened its fullest, revealing all its beauty.

"See you soon..."

_"No, I don't cry_

On the outside anymore"

_...For in battle a sword still flashes,  
Dull memories are still fine,  
In despair hope still lives -  
An ending - a beginning -  
A dusk - a dawn -  
And in Darkness a light must shine. _

**Fin.**

**In Darkness a Light Must Shine**

_"Seems like just yesterday_

You were a part of me

I used to stand so tall

I used to be so strong

Your arms around me tight

Everything it felt so right

Unbreakable like nothing could go wrong"

-From Kelly Clarkson's "Behind These Hazel Eyes"

**I.**  


It was a bright and fair day in the realm of Gondor. However, outside the Healer's chambers, it was not so. Four Elves and a Dwarf stood outside, waiting grimly to hear news about their King, best friend, husband, fellow companion, or brother. Or perhaps all five. It did not matter. Aragorn was dying.

The King of Gondor, once Ranger, Elf-raised, and one of the Fellowship of the Third Age, was much loved by his people and friends. He had been brave. He had been kind. He was great in battle. He was handsome. He was wise, for he was elf-learned. He was the true lineage of Isildur. He had dared to face difficulties, and won over most. Except this. This. Death. For even the bravest, nor the wisest, nor the kindest could not avoid death, unless he had the gift of immortality.

Elladan, being the oldest of the five, dared to venture in. Some tense moments passed until he came out again, pale. "They say..." His usually strong voice broke. "They say he is dying." Elrohir, his twin, looked down, his eyes damp. Legolas, Arwen, and Gimli were crying silently. The five were the remaining people who had known him the most, had loved him, had went with him through thick and thin.

The truth had not hit them until then. They had fools' hope. That he might last longer. That he might be cured with a miraculous event. But it was true. It was true.

Aragorn was dying.

_"Now I can't breathe_

Now I can't sleep

I'm barely hanging on"

**II.**  


Arwen looked into her husband's deep gray eyes. They were the same as all those years ago: mischieveous, wise, and smiling. "Estel?" she whispered, unable to stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks.

"Arwen... I'm so sorry. ...And... thank you."

"What for?"

"For giving up your immortality." Aragorn pulled up the Evenstar from beneath his tunic, from his breast where he had kept it with him for a long time, since the Fellowship left Rivendell. "I am sorry that we mortals must end everything in death.." He smiled, and shook his head. "Arwen.. Remember this. Even when everything is dark -" it was getting hard for him to breathe - "there always must be a light. In death there is life."

Arwen nodded. She could not find anything to say.

"Arwen. My time has come."

Arwen hand in Aragorn's was trembling. "You know," she whispered. "I loved you ever since I saw you."

"It was so with me," Aragorn smiled. "I wonder who was first?"

Arwen laughed, despite the sorrow. "I would have to say it was you; I did not see you until you called out. Very unfair."

"You're the Elf." Aragorn grinned, looking very much like the past Estel. He coughed a little. "Arwen... I love you." He bent over and kissed her hand, and even as he did so, the light dimished from his gray eyes.

Arwen sat there, crying. She admitted that she had cried many times throughout her long time, but never had she felt so much sorrow as this.

_"Here I am_

Once again

I'm torn into pieces

Can't deny it

Can't pretend

Just thought you were the one

Broken up deep inside

But you won't get to see the tears I cry

Behind these hazel eyes"

**III.**  


"Naneth?" Eldarion inquired. He was now a man - and he looked very much like his father when he had been that age, except for his eyes. It was a bright, intense green. "...Is this the last time?"

Arwen nodded. "Don't cry," she hugged her son. "Rule Gondor well. And don't forget me, or your father." Eldarion nodded as well, and his eyes appeared to be damp.

Arwen hugged her daughters, who cried silently, and to Legolas and Gimli, and to her brothers.

It was time to leave.

_"I told you everything_

Opened up and let you in

You made me feel alright for once in my life

Now all that's left of me

Is what I pretend to be

So together but so broken up inside"

**IIII.**  


Arwen walked among the bare branches of Lothlorien, feeling the rain on her shoulders, on her dark gray cape.

She had not regretted her choice. Never. Not now. Even when it was tainted in sorrow.

She came to the spot when they had first met. Her dark hair blew behind her in the wind, and she saw a single white flower. The same Estel had given to her.

She lay down in the dead leaves, and looked up at the bright, silver stars.

She knew she was dying. She had been dying ever since she had heard the terrible news.

Hours passed. The moon slowly moved, and Arwen began to lose conciousness.

Yet she still waited.

Arwen waited as the small white flower slowly uncurled to the starlight, to the moon, to the world.

She smiled.

"See you soon," she whispered.

The white flower had opened its fullest, revealing all its beauty.

"See you soon..."

_"No, I don't cry_

On the outside anymore"

_...For in battle a sword still flashes,  
Dull memories are still fine,  
In despair hope still lives -  
An ending - a beginning -  
A dusk - a dawn -  
And in Darkness a light must shine. _

**Fin.**


End file.
